U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Rwanda’s Military and Senior Officers

In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic pressure tied to the long-running conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States government on March 2, 2026, announced sweeping sanctions against the entire Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its most senior commanders, accusing Kigali of providing direct military support to the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and undermining regional peace efforts.

In an official press release, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said the RDF, long considered a partner of Washington in African security cooperation, actively supported, trained, equipped, and fought alongside M23 rebels, a U.S.- and United Nations-sanctioned armed group accused of serious human rights abuses and a mass displacement crisis in eastern Congo.

The document also said that without Rwanda’s backing, M23’s rapid territorial gains, including the capture of key provincial cities and mineral-rich regions, would not have been possible.

Among those targeted are some of the most powerful military leaders in Rwanda, including Army Chief of Staff Vincent Nyakarundi, Major General Ruki Karusisi, Chief of Defence Staff Mubarakh Muganga, and Special Operations Force Commander Stanislas Gashugi. Their designations under U.S. executive orders mean that all assets and interests they or the RDF hold under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and American individuals and companies are barred from engaging in financial or commercial transactions with them.

U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, framed the sanctions not only as punishment but also as an enforcement measure for a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in Washington last December, known as the Washington Accords. They have called for the immediate withdrawal of all RDF troops, weapons, and military equipment from eastern DRC, warning that continued involvement risks dragging the entire Great Lakes region into a wider conflict.

The Rwandan government strongly rejected the sanctions, describing them as “unjust” and “one-sided,” arguing that Washington’s actions misrepresent the dynamics of the conflict and unfairly target only one party in a complex crisis. Kigali has accused Kinshasa of violating ceasefire commitments and pointed to what it calls indiscriminate drone strikes and other offensive operations by the Congolese military as evidence of mutual violations.

The sanctions mark a significant shift in U.S. relations with Rwanda, which for decades has been seen as a relatively stable security partner in the region. Analysts note the contrast between that longstanding cooperation and the severity of the current measures, which could complicate Rwanda’s military cooperation with Western partners and even affect its contributions to international peacekeeping missions.

The backdrop to the sanctions is the ongoing humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo, where fighting among more than 100 armed groups, including M23, has displaced millions and exposed civilians to violence, killings, and human rights abuses. The U.N. estimates millions remain uprooted, creating one of the most severe displacement crises on the continent.

While the sanctions make clear the U.S. intent to enforce the Washington peace framework and pressure Rwanda to disengage, they also highlight the fragility of peacemaking efforts in the region. Despite months of negotiations involving the U.S., Qatar, and regional actors, clashes continue, and key rebel factions remain active.

Rwanda’s rejection of the sanctions and insistence that the conflict’s causes are broader than U.S. allegations suggest that diplomatic tensions may deepen, even as Kinshasa has welcomed Washington’s move as supportive of Congolese sovereignty. As the humanitarian toll mounts and diplomatic efforts proceed, the sanctions underscore the challenges facing international efforts to end years of instability in eastern DR Congo.